This invention relates to a reversible envelope, and more particularly to a reversible envelope that utilizes a minimum amount of paper, can be utilized by existing envelope stuffing machinery, and also ensures that the envelope will not be ripped when opened upon a first-use.
Reversible envelopes are utilized frequently in billing and related procedures. A common reversible envelope is first used to mail billing invoices or the like received within an envelope container. It is opened by a bill recipient and has a second-use as a return envelope so that the bill recipient will have an addressed envelope handy for returning a payment.
An example of a prior art reversible envelope is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,270,948 to Donovan. In this type of reversible envelope, the bill recipient's address is formed on one face, the return address of the bill sender is formed on another face, and there are two flap portions for overlying and sealing the envelope.
Problems arise with this type of envelope since there is normally excess material within the envelope container during stuffing of the first-use of the envelope. That is, there are parts that are not used in the first-use of the envelope that are necessary for the second-use of the envelope, and these parts are received within the envelope container. These extra parts that are received within the envelope container make it difficult for existing mail stuffing machines and the like to utilize these reversible envelopes. In the past, specialized machinery was required to stuff these types of envelopes, but of course this is undesirable and expensive. In addition, these types of reversible envelopes utilize more paper than is necessary, and when preparing a very large number of these envelopes, the manufacturing cost to arrive at the final envelope are affected by each additional piece of paper and portion of the envelope.
Frequently, the directions for using these envelopes have been complicated and difficult to follow.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to create a reversible envelope that will not have any extra portions within the envelope container at the time the first-use envelope is being stuffed.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to create a reversible envelope that utilizes a minimum number of sections and paper and is easy to use.